Quint nodded. “Yeah. When Zena’s tail wags like that, she’s on to something. I’ve never met a woman who’s okay with me leaving at any time and jumping into a fire.”
“Maybe you have now,” Vince said, turning the collar of his flannel coat up to cover his neck.
“It’s too early to even think like that,” Quint admitted. “I just met the woman.”
Vince snorted. “Yet we know exactly who we’re talking about.” He clapped Quint on the shoulder. “You could always come work for us. We’d even make you a partner.” Vince and a couple other brothers owned and ran an outfitting company for fishing, rafting, hunting, and guiding.
Quint grinned. “Maybe someday when I’m old and decrepit like you, I will want to run guides on the river.”
“I’m three years older than you, jackass,” Vince returned.
Zena barked once.
Quint immediately strode through the heavy snow and between trees until finding his dog lying down by the tree. “Where is it?” he asked.
She dug furiously in the snow and flipped over a shotgun shell.
“Good girl,” he said, letting his voice rise so she knew he was happy. “Now find the wad. Go get it, girl.”
She jumped up and started searching for the wad, which was released when a shotgun shell was fired. Then she flopped down.
He kicked through snow to reach her, seeing the wad stuck in the snow. “Good girl.” He grabbed the throw toy off his belt and threw it for her.
She barked happily and ran for it, snatching the red triangle from the snow and bounding back toward him. They played fetch for about thirty minutes, and then he took her back to the truck to get warm and eat some grub.
Vince took the leash off his puppy. “Since Zena is taking a break, go get lost in the woods, would you? I want to see if she can find you.”
“Sure.” Quint’s phone buzzed and he lifted it to his ear. “Albertini.”
“Hey, it’s Anna. We have a problem,” his cousin said. “Any chance you can provide an alibi for Heather last night around midnight?”
Quint frowned. “I believe I was getting shot at during that time frame. Why does she need an alibi?”
He listened to the story and then slowly clenched his hand into a fist. “I think I should go have a talk with this asshole. He’s staying at the Molly?”
“Don’t even think it,” Anna snapped. “I have it under control for now, but I do need you to get charming with the clerk at the motel. It’s Diane Lewiston, and she’s still mad at your brother for breaking up with her in high school, but I need you to go interview her and see if you can get any clue about who the vandal really was that night. Okay?”
He’d much rather go punch this Jack guy in the face. “I’ll see what I can do.” He clicked off to see his brother watching him carefully. “What?”
“You’re way too invested in too short of a time, brother,” Vince said calmly.
That was the damn truth. “I have to go.”
Vince nodded. “It’s not like the Albertinis are known for taking it slow, I guess. Never thought you’d dive head first into anything except a fire.”
“I’m not diving into anything,” Quint said, opening his door and tossing the toy inside. “I’m just helping out a friend.”
Vince’s laughter was familiar…and unrelenting.
Heather triedto school her expression into one of boredom, but her ears were tingling with heat, and her lungs kept compressing.
Anna returned to the conference room after having made a phone call outside and took a seat next to her. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. I have a copy of the video and a couple of my friends are out and about trying to see what really happened that night. Let’s deal with this today.”
Jack sauntered into the room, his gaze instantly seeking Heather. “I hope we can reach a resolution here.” He pulled out a chair on the opposite side of the table and looked at Anna. “If you don’t mind, we’d like privacy.”
“I do mind,” Anna said, sounding official even though she was in jeans and a sweater. “I’m Heather’s attorney, and I’m staying right here.”
The sheriff gave them all a look that was a clear warning. “If there’s trouble, I have no problem tossing all of you in a cell. Don’t give me trouble.” He shut the door as he left.
